Virus-like particle based vaccines for Alzheimer disease

Vaccines targeting the amyloid-beta (A beta) peptide have promise as immunotherapies for the treatment of Alzheimer disease (AD). Human trials of a first generation A beta vaccine highlighted the need for a vaccine strategy that could consistently induce high-titer antibodies against A beta without also inducing inflammatory auto-reactive T-cell responses. In this review, I will describe the use of virus-like particle (VLP) based vaccines against A beta that can potentially satisfy these demands. VLPs can serve as highly multivalent platforms for the display of diverse antigens on their surfaces. VLP display markedly increases the immunogenicity of antigens, including self-antigens. VLPbased immunogens targeting A beta have been developed by several different groups, and have demonstrated effectiveness in animal models of AD. One VLP-based candidate vaccine for AD, CAD106, developed by Cytos Biotechnology and Novartis Pharmaceuticals, is currently in human clinical trials.